China suspends flights from Mexico, traces passengers

Shanghai, May 2 (Xinhua) China Saturday suspended all flights from Mexico where over 300 confirmed cases of swine flu have been reported. The foreign ministry said the government is also trying to trace 11 passengers who had travelled on the same flight to Sanghai as a Mexican man infected with swine flu.

The Chinese officials told their Mexican counterparts that flights would resume only after the health situation improves in that country.

Meanwhile, the China Eastern Airlines said it will send a chartered plane to Mexico to bring back the Chinese passengers who had booked on the first cancelled flight to Shanghai.

Shanghai health authorities Friday issued a notice seeking people who had been on the same flight with a Mexican who was later found infected with influenza A(H1N1) virus in Hong Kong.

The Mexican was briefly in Shanghai airport during his journey from Mexico before leaving for Hong Kong. The Chinese authorities have managed to trace the whereabouts of all people on board that plane except for the 11 passengers.

The health officials have put the passengers and crewmembers who were traced under medical observation for seven days.

Officials however did not say how many passengers had travelled on the flight from Mexico City to Shanghai.